Chapter 49
The first thing trationd was the pain.
Adult ache radiated across my back like I’d been tackled by a herd of linebackers in stilettos: My eyes cracked open. The hotel room was soaked in a deepy gray light fibering through the hall drawn curtains. I groaned softly as I tried to mave, only to immediately wince.
“I muttered.
My body felt like it had been in a slow–motion car crash. Every joint groaned in protest, every muscle throbbed. I tried to stretch, regretted it instantly. My thighs. My hips. My lower back.
“God, what the hell did we
the mid–thought and slowly turned my head to look down at myself.
My eyes widened.
Hickey’s, Not just an my neck–oh no. That would’ve been far too merciful. But all down my chest, my stomach. My thighs. Faint bruises traced my hips like he’d marked me on purpose, like he wanted me to remember every second of last night by simply existing in my body.
Which I very much was.
A flash of memory sucker–punched me—–
Me on all fours, gripping the headboard like a lifeline, gasping for breath as Nikola pounded into me from behind,
“Count” he’d growled against my ear.
“Wh–what?” I’d barely managed to say
And then his palm had cracked across my ass
Oh my fucking god.
“One“I’d gasped.
Another slap. “Two”
Ter. He made me count to ter
My palm flew to my face. “What the fuck, Elena.”
Thad never in my life thought I’d be the type of girl to get spanked. I used to roll my eyes at BDSM. Always thought it was some try hard Fifty Shades cosplay Borderne cult behavior. Absolutely not for me
Except not
Now I had marks. And flashbacks. And worse–I had liked it
The bathroom door clicked open. I scrambled to yank the blanket up to my chin like some! seen every inch of me in positions was still trying to mentally process.
Victorian maiden, despite the fact that Nikolai had already
Nikolai stepped out, towel slung low around his hips, damp hair slicked back. The second he saw me, he smirked. Not the cocky smirk he gave the w
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I buried my five hither in the blanket
He laughed. Netually laughed. “Really? After everything, now you’re shy?”
(dresser and pulled e trobe, tossing it onto the bed beside me. “Want to head back honte today?”
blinked at him. “What do you mean? Haven’t you already booked a flight?” Wait. Did you even need to book flights for private jets?
“We can do that we could drive”
My head snapped up. “Drive““”
de grinned, like a devil making a deal. “Six hours, tops. I thought you might enjoy a little road trip.”
linked once, then again. A piddy sort of excitement started bubbling in my chest.
“Canidrive?” I asked, suddenly bouncing a little.
“I mean, you’ll have to fight me for the wheel, he teased. “But yeah
“Oh my god. Yes. Please”
He looked at me in that way that made the butterflies riot in my stomach–like he knew me too well already. I clamped my mouth shut before I said something stupid and darted for the bathroom, snatching the robe on my way.
Inside turned on the shower and tried not to look at myself in the mirror for too long. My skin was littered with evidence. Physical proof of how deeply! had faton down this rabbit hole
Still, when turned around and dried off, I found a Les Clofs cropped shirt hanging on the back of the bathroom door. My mind went back to the whispers I had heard as Nikolal conversed with someone while I slept. I think it was only a while before I wake up. It seemed the receptionist had sent this up–at Nikolai’s request. I didn’t want to know how much it cost. Probably more than my rent. For half a shirt.
I slipped it on anyway, along with the designer skinny jeans I didn’t recognize but couldn’t deny were the most comfortable pants lid ever worn, I looked Like some kind of effortless influencer.
When I stepped out, still sowol–drying my hair, Nikolai was already dressed in all black, as usual. But on the bed lay a jacket. Black leather. Cut for a
woman.
Whele also matching the leather jacket he wore.
frowned. “Why are we dressing like we’re about to star in a fashion
n campaign?
He glanced over. “This hotel’s one of the best in Beacon Hills, A lot of the banquet guests are probably staying hero, I figured wo shouldn’t exactly roll out looking like we pas had the dirtiest night of our lives.”
flushed immediately “You’re horrible
“Um, he agreed “But I’m right
en he walked over and plucked the towel from my hands.
Hry
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Chapter 49
te ficked on the hair dryer that he pulled out of nowhere or maybe the cupboard and began carefully, gently drying my hair. His fingers raked through the strands dewly, methodically. Estayed quiet, suddenly unsure of how to breathe.
God. He needed in stop being this nice.
When the heat died down and the dryer switched off, he didn’t stop. His fingers stayed tangled in my hair, his touch grazing the side of my neck–right Dom a particplady dark bickey,
And then tell him parting my hai
“What are you doing?” Lasked.
vice cracked. “You learned how to braid?”
He shrugged. “I have an eldetic memory only need to see something once to learn it
My head whipped around. “You what?”
He gave a lopsided grin. “Surprised?”
“was! You never told me that.”
He tugged gently to keep me stil “You never asked.”
I sat there stunned as he tied off the braid with a tiny elastic and let the curtain bangs fall around my face.
How was be like this? How could he be both ruthless and gentle, possessive and considerate?
Aknock sounded at the door
We both turned.
Nikolai frowned. “I didn’t order anything”
He stood and walked over to open it. A hotel server wheeled in a breakfast cart stacked high with covered dishes and steaming coffee. On top sat a white envelope, sealed with gold was
The server gave a tight smile. “A gift from Mr. Vetrov
My stomach plummeted
Nikolai’s eyes darted to me, that frown deepening
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